Bills reach four-year deal with cornerback Leodis McKelvin

The Buffalo Bills have signed cornerback Leodis McKelvin to a four-year extension worth $20 million, Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com reports.

As a cornerback, McKelvin, a 2008 first-round pick out of Troy, has started 33 of 64 games and has six interceptions and 28 passes defensed during his first five seasons in the NFL. McKelvin started four games in 2012, posting 20 tackles and an interception while participating in less than 33 percent of the Bills' defensive snaps.

McKelvin does bring additional value as a return specialist and Marvez reports that the new deal makes him the highest-paid return man in the league.

For his career, McKelvin is averaging 26.5 yards with one touchdown (a 98-yard return during his rookie season) on 91 kick returns and 16.3 yards with three touchdowns on 39 punt returns. In 2012, McKelvin led the NFL with an 18.7-yard punt return average and had two returns for touchdowns before suffering a season-ending groin injury.

As the 11th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, McKelvin was originally signed to a six-year contract, but the last year of that deal voided when certain playing-time criteria was reached early in his career. McKelvin was scheduled to become a free agent when the new league year opens on March 12.